Tampa readers rejoice for new year of book club meetings

CARROLLWOOD — If reading more books is a part of your New Year’s resolutions, you may want to consider joining a local book club.

The Hillsborough County Public Library has monthly discussions at several branches. The Tampa Jewish Community Center is offering a Zoom-In Book Club, which for a membership fee of $24 gets you access to authors during monthly online meetings through June. And, there’s the Women Authors Book Group, which meets every six weeks at the Carrollwood Cultural Center.

All groups welcome readers of all backgrounds, too.

Deb Doliner has been running the Women Authors Book Group for 25 years, adjusting from closed bookstore meeting spaces to keeping her members connected through COVID.

“Our group began when the Border’s Book Store opened in Carrollwood,” Doliner said. “Borders’ management encouraged readers to set up themed book clubs which they then promoted in the store. Since we were a group of women meeting there, we decided to theme our group by reading books by women. The name stuck.”

Every now and then, Doliner said, she’ll approach the group about taking on a different name or going in a different direction, but the group remains happy reading female authors.

The Women Authors Book Group covers all types of ground in the realm of literature. From fiction and nonfiction to mystery and fantasy, classical literature and contemporary, this group seeks a vast range of reading to keep readers entertained throughout the year.